Color divided hypodermic syringe



y 1 1959 w. J. HUNT I COLOR DIVIDED HYPODERMIC SYRINGE I Filed Oct. 18, 1956 FIG. II

S m I I RT 0 n W ON N. I N I TU R m I NH o W J I W 2 N A m m m m l a W U W 4 Y I B MH I 8 I 4 3 M 4 I 9 4 United States Patent COLOR DIVIDED HYPODERMIC SYRINGE William J. Hunt, High Point, N.C., assignor of one-half to Robt. G. Garland, High Point, N.C.

Application October 18, 1956, Serial No. 616,755 3 Claims. c1. 128-218) This invention relates to health and welfare and more particularly to equipment employed in connection therewith, and particularly to a hypodermic syringe such as that utilized in the administration of insulin or other substances. 1

Hypodermic syringes have required knowledge and skill in the operation of the same and could not be readily used without experience and skill. It was necessary therefore to have trained attendants such as nurses or the like in order to give an injection and this made it necessaryto have additional personnel and resulted in a shortage of nurses and increased the cost of caring for the health.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive hypodermic syringe of a character requiring no special training or skill in its use, which is so constructed that its contents can be readily observed, and having graduations and colorings which facilitate and simplify the use of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hypodermic syringe of a character such that infirm, extremely nervous persons, and those with impaired vision will have little difiiculty in using.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hypodermic syringe improve-d so that it includes graduations and colored areas which serve as a check against each other and thereby reduce the possibilty of error.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective illustrating the use of the invention;

Fig. 2, a front elevation of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3, a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a rear elevation of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 5, the embodiment of Fig. 4 of the invention revolved 180 to expose the front thereof;

Fig. 6, a View on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7, a front elevation of a further modification of an insulin hypodermic syringe;

Fig. 8, a view of the embodiment of Fig. 7 revolved 180 to reveal the rear thereof;

Fig. 9, a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10, a front elevation of a further modification of an insulin hypodermic syringe;

Fig. 11, a view of Fig. 10 revolved 180 to expose a rear elevation; and

Fig. 12, a section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 10.

Briefly stated the invention comprises a hypodermic syringe of transparent material such as plastic, glass or other substance and provided with standard graduations, such as for example cubic centimeters or units of insulin. An area of the barrel preferably is coated with two or more colors superimposed on the graduations or located elsewhere as for example 180 therefrom to aid in determining the level of the fluid in the barrel.

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With continued reference to the drawing, in accordance with the present invention a hypodermic syringe may have a barrel 10, an externally threaded tubular extension 11 of reduced diameter at one end for the reception of the internally threaded end of a conventional hypodermic needle (not shown). The barrel may have a finger-engaging and reinforcing enlargement 12 about its end opposite the extension 11.

The barrel 10 is adapted to contain a liquid solution for injection into the body through a hollow needle attached to the tubular extension 11, the quantity of fluid being in accordance with requirements. The barrel 10 preferably is formed of clear plastic, glass, or other transparent material in order that its contents may be observed at all times.

The barrel is provided graduations '13 and an indication of contents 14 so that the user can instantly estimate and determine the amount of fluid within the barrel at any time. In order to facilitate the reading or comprehension of the quantity of fluid within the barrel, the

graduated area may be provided with colored portions 15 and 16 superimposed on the graduations to facilitate the use of the hypodermic syringe and especially by persons having infirmities such as impaired eyesight, nervousness or the like, the colors red 15 and green 16 being employed for purposes of illustration.

In order to draw liquid through the tubular portion 11 into the barrel and to eject liquid from the barrel a plunger or piston 17 is provided having an operating head 18. When in use the barrel 10 is held in the hand, the piston or plunger 17 is withdrawn sutficiently to draw liquid into the barrel, after which the piston or plunger is forced into the barrel to eject the fluid. In doing this the barrel 10 can be held between the index and second fingers and the thumb pressed against the head of the piston or plunger 17.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 6, a slightly different barrel 20 is employed having a reduced externally threaded inlet and discharge tube 21 with graduations 23 and an indication of content 24. The barrel is of transparent or substantially transparent plastic, glass or other substance so that its contents are visible from the exterior. In order to facilitate the use of the device the casing of the barrel is provided on the side opposite the graduations with an elongated color area as for example with red coloring 25 and green coloring 26, the colored portions being divided by a transverse line midway of each. The piston or plunger is the same in each embodiment of the invention.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 a similar hypodermic syringe is provided including a barrel 30 with a corresponding reduced externally threaded inlet and outlet 31, graduations 32 and volume indications 33, the graduations being appropriate for specific solutions such as units of insulin, the scale being variable in accordance with requirements. The barrel is provided on the side opposite the graduations or at a revolution of thereto with a series of spaced colors such as red 34, green 35, yellow 36 and blue 37 corresponding to the unit markings of the graduations. The barrel 30 is transparent and permits the colors to be seen regardless of whether they are turned towards the user or not. Figs. 10, 11 and 12, disclose another type of hypodermic syringe intended for use as a dual purpose insulin syringe in which liquids of different strengths may be employed. In these figures a barrel 4!) is provided with a reduced externally threaded tubular inlet and discharge member 41 with graduations 42 and 43 indicative of content. This barrel is provided with color areas such as, for example, red area 44, green area 45, yellow area 46, and blue area 47, on one side and 180 therefrom, or on the opposite side are color areas such as for example red area 48, green area 49,

Patented May 26, 195.9

yellow area 50 and blue area 51. In Figs. 10 and 11 the colors are superimposed on the graduations which are marked for different strength solutions of insulin.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the present invention contemplates a hypodermic syringe having a barrel and a plunger with the barrel and plunger of transparent or substantially transparent material such as plastic, glass, or the like, so that the contents and the fluid level thereof can be seen through the wall of the barrel. Further, in order for the operator to know the amount of liquid in the barrel, graduations are provided and in conjunction therewith multiple color portions are employed in order to make it possible at all times to recognize the amount of liquid in the barrel and the amount to be discharged without any special knowledge. The application of graduations and color markings and the subdivision of such color therein to correspond with the graduations facilitates the accurate use of the device.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A hypodermic syringe including a barrel of light transmitting material having at one end an inlet for the attachment of a conventional hollow hypodermic needle and finger gripping portion adjacent its opposite end, said barrel having a plurality of areas of differing colors extending from adjacent the inlet end toward the opposite end, said areas of differing colors each extending the same length axially of the oarrel and providing an indicia of the volume of fluid contained within the barrel, and a piston slideable within said barrel.

2. In a hypodermic syringe having a barrel of light transmitting material with a piston slideable into one end of said barrel and an inlet at the other end for the attachment of a needle, the improvement comprising said barrel having colored portions mounted thereon providing an indicia of cubic content, said colored portions providing a plurality of areas of differing colors, each area extending the same length axially of the barrel.

3. A hypodermic syringe for use in the injection of a medicament comprising a barrel through which light can pass, said barrel having an opening through one end portion and being constructed to receive a conventional hypodermic needle, a piston in said barrel slidable for discharging medicament through said needle, and multiple areas of different colors along said barrel whereby the amount of fluid within said barrel'may be determined at a glance without the necessity for intimate inspection and the expenditure of time incident thereto before using the syringe for ejecting the medicament from within said barrel through said hollow needle.

References Cited in the flle'of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 431,132 Wharton July 1, 1890 827,383 McElroy et al July 31, 1906 994,482 Schneider June 6, 1911 1,564,048 Cook Dec. 1, 1925 2,290,348 Moule July 21, 1942 

